Natural hazards · James Island

James Island, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in James Island comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 75 claims here since 1989. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is James Island?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in James Island to be higher than in 94% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes67%Inland flooding11%Earthquakes10%Coastal flooding8%Everything else5%

By hazard

What James Island faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Hurricanes

67% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

11% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 17% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Coastal flooding

8% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does James Island flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in James Island, from FEMA’s records.

75paid claims since 1989

$1.6Mpaid to owners

19homes flooded more than once

19892026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irma: 37 claims, $1.2M
October severe storms: 20 claims, $207K
December Nor'easter: 3 claims, $19K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. James Island is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Charleston County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit James Island

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in James Island itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of James Island.

Brought FEMA money into James IslandDeclared for Charleston County only

2022

Hurricane Ian

$15K to the Town of James Island for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$3K to the Town of James Island for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

1 household applied for aid

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid

Charleston County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around James Island

James Island and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Charlestonmostly hurricanesVery high

James Islandmostly hurricanesVery high

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. James Island covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to James Island’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of James Island. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across James Island total about $3.9M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.